الصَّدَقَة
CHARITY
فَضلُ الصَّدَقَةِ / The Virtue of Charity
1ـ رسولُ اللهِِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): أرضُ القِيامَةِ نارٌ، ما خَلا ظِلَّ المؤمِنِ فإنَّ صَدَقَتَهُ تُظِلُّهُ.
1– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The earth on the Day of Resurrection will be scorching, except for the shadow of a believer, for verily his charity will serve him as shade.’
[al-Kafi, v. 3, p. 4, no. 6]
2ـ رسولُ اللهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): كُلُّ امرِئٍ في ظِلِّ صَدَقَتِهِ حتّى يُقضى بَينَ الناسِ.
2– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Everyone will only have recourse to the shade provided by charity they had given until their affairs are judged
[by Allah].’
[Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 16068]
الصَّدَقَة
CHARITY
3ـ رسولُ اللهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): إنَّ الصَّدَقَةَ لتُطفِئُ غَضَبَ الرَّبِّ.
3– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Verily charity extinguishes the wrath of the Lord.’
[Ibid. no. 16114]
4ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): الصَّدقَةُ جُنَّةٌ مِن النارِ .
4– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Charity acts as a shield against the fire.’
[Wasael al-Shi`aah , v. 6, p. 258, no. 17 ]
تَلَقِّي اللّهِ لِلصَّدَقاتِ / Allah’s Firsthand Receipt of Charities
5ـ الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): إنّ اللّهَ تبارَكَ وتعالى يقولُ: ما مِن شَيءٍ إلّا وقد وَكَّلتُ مَن يَقبِضُهُ غَيرِي، إلّا الصَّدَقةَ؛ فإنّي أتَلَقَّفُها بِيَدِي تَلَقُّـفا.
5– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘Verily Allah, Blessed and most High, says, ‘In My stead, I have entrusted every single thing to the one who grasps it, except for charity, for verily I immediately seize that up in My Hand.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 96, p. 134, no. 68]
الصَّدَقَةُ ودَفعُ البَلاءِ / Charity and Repelling Adversities
6ـ رسولُ اللهِِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): الصَّدَقَةُ تَمنَعُ سَبعينَ نَوعاً مِن أنواعِ البَلاءِ، أهوَنُها الجُذامُ والبَرَصُ.
6– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Charity prevents seventy different types of adversities, the simplest of them being elephantiasis and leprosy.’
[Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 15982]
7ـ رسولُ اللهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): الصَّدَقةُ تَسُدُّ سَبعِينَ باباً مِن الشَّرِّ.
7– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Charity blocks seventy doorways to evil.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 96, p. 132, no. 64]
8ـ رسولُ اللهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): الصَّدقَةُ تَمنَعُ مِيتَةَ السُّوءِ.
8– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Charity prevents an undignified death.’
[al-Kafi, v. 4, p. 2, no. 1]
9ـ رسولُ اللهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): تَصَدَّقُوا وداوُوا مَرضاكُم بالصَّدَقَةِ؛ فإنَّ الصَّدَقةَ تَدفَعُ عنِ الأعراضِ والأمراضِ، وهِيَ زيادَةٌ في أعمارِكُم وحَسَناتِكُم .
9– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Give charity, and cure your sick ones through the giving of charity, for verily charity repels accidents and illnesses, and is a source of increase in your life spans and your good deeds.’
[Kanz al-`Ummal, 16113]
10ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): الصَّدَقةُ دَواءٌ مُنجِحٌ .
10– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Charity is an effective cure.’
[Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 7]
الصَّدَقَةُ مِفتاحُ الرِّزقِ / Charity is the Key to (Increased) Sustenance
11ـ رسولُ اللهِِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ) :أكثِرُوا مِنَ الصَّدَقَةِ تُرزَقُوا .
11– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Increase your charity and you will be given
[increased] sustenance.’
[A`alam al-Din, p. 333]
12ـ الإمامُعليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): اِستَنزِلُوا الرِّزقَ بِالصَّدَقةِ.
12– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Attract sustenance by giving charity.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 68, no. 13]
13ـ الإمامُعليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): إذا أملَقتُم فَتاجِرُوا اللّهَ بِالصَّدَقةِ .
13– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘If you are reduced to poverty, then trade with Allah through giving in charity.’
[Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 258]
14ـ الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): إنّي لاَُملِقُ أحياناً، فَاُتاجِرُ اللّهَ بِالصَّدَقةِ.
14– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘I am sometimes reduced to poverty, so I trade with Allah through charity.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 78, p. 206, no. 54]
15ـ الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): الصَّدَقةُ تَقضِي الدَّينَ وتُخلِفُ بِالبَرَكَةِ.
15– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘Giving in charity helps settle debts and leaves behind blessings.’
[Ibid. v. 96, p. 134, no. 68]
كُلُّ مَعروفٍ صَدَقَةٌ / Every Kindly Act is Considered Charity
16ـ رُويَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ) أنَّه قالَ: إنَّ على كُلِّ مُسلمٍ في كلِّ يَومٍ صَدَقةً، قيلَ: مَن يُطِيقُ ذلكَ؟ قالَ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): إماطَتُكَ الأذى عنِ الطَّريقِ صَدَقةٌ، وإرشادُكَ الرَّجُلَ إلى الطَّريقِ صَدَقةٌ، وعِيادَتُكَ المَريضَ صَدَقةٌ، وأمرُكَ بالمَعروفِ صَدَقةٌ، ونَهيُكَ عنِ المُنكَرِ صَدَقةٌ، ورَدُّكَ السَّلامَ صَدَقَةٌ.
16– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Verily every single Muslim is to give in charity every single day.’ When asked who would be capable of such a thing, he replied, ‘Your removal of an obstacle from the road is a charitable act; your guiding someone the way is a charitable act; your visiting the sick is a charitable act; your enjoinment of good to others is a charitable act; your forbidding others from wrongdoing is a charitable act, and your returning the greeting of peace is a charitable act.’
[Ibid. v. 75, p. 50, no. 4]
17ـ رسولُ اللهِِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): كُلُّ مَعروفٍ صَدَقةٌ.
17– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Every kindly act is considered charity.’
[al-Khisal, p. 134, no. 145]
18ـ رسولُ اللهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): أمسِكْ لِسانَكَ؛ فإنّها صَدَقةٌ تَصَدَّقُ بها على نَفسِكَ .
18– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Guard your tongue, for verily this is a charitable act that you perform for your own sake.’
[al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 114, no. 7]
19ـ رسولُ اللهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): تَركُ الشَّرِّ صَدَقةٌ .
19– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Abandoning evil
[acts] is an act of charity.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 77, p. 160, no. 168]
20ـ الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): صَدَقةٌ يُحِبُّها اللّهُ: إصلاحٌ بينَ الناسِ إذا تَفاسَدُوا، وتَقارُبٌ بَينَهِم إذا تَباعَدُوا .
20– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘A charitable act that Allah loves indeed is reconciling people when they have become estranged to one another, and bringing them close together when they have become distanced from each other.’
[al-Kafi, v. 2, p. 209, no. 1]
21ـ الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): إسماعُ الأصَمِّ مِن غَيرِ تَضَجُّرٍ صَدَقةٌ هَنِيئَةٌ .
21– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘Making a deaf person hear without becoming irritated is a wholesome act of charity.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 74, p. 388, no. 1]
أفضَلُ الصَّدَقَةِ / The Best Form of Charity
22ـ رسولُ اللهِِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ) ـ لَمّا سُئلَ عن أفضَلِ الصَّدَقةِ ـ: أن تَصَدَّقَ وأنتَ صَحيحٌ شَحيحٌ، تَأمُلُ البَقاءَ وتَخافُ الفَقرَ، ولا تُمَهِّلْ حتّى إذا بَلَغَتِ الحُلقومَ قُلتَ: لِفُلانٍ كذا ولفُلانٍ كذا، ألاَ وقَد كانَ لِفُلانٍ .
22– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The best form of charity is to give away when one is healthy and covetous, when one has high hopes of one’s livelihood and fears poverty. Do not wait until you are breathing your last to bequeath to others, saying: ‘this is for x and this is for y, and this belonged to z.’
[Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 16251]
23ـ رسولُ اللهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): أفضَلُ الناسِ رَجُلٌ يُعطِي جُهدَهُ.
23– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The best of people is he who gives away his hard-earned money
[in charity].’
[Ibid. no. 16084]
24ـ رسولُ اللهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): أفضَلُ الصَّدَقةِ سِرٌّ إلى فَقيرٍ وجُهدٌ مِن مُقِلٍّ.
24– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The best form of charity is that which is secretly given to the poor by one who himself has little to offer.’
[Ibid. no. 16250]
25ـ رسولُ اللهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): إنَّ أفضَلَ الصَّدَقةِ صَدَقةُ اللِّسانِ، تَحقُنُ بهِ الدِّماءَ، وتَدفَعُ بهِ الكَريهَةَ، وتَجُرُّ المَنفَعةَ إلى أخيكَ المُسلِمِ.
25– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The best form of charity is charity with one’s tongue through which lives are spared, adversities repelled, and benefits attracted towards one’s Muslim brother.’
[Qasas al-Anbiya’, p. 188, no. 235]
26ـ رسولُ اللهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): أفضَلُ الصَّدَقةِ أن يَتَعَلَّمَ المَرءُ المُسلمُ عِلماً ثُمّ يُعَلِّمَهُ أخاهُ المُسلِمَ.
26– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The best form of charity is for the Muslim to gain knowledge and then teach it to his fellow Muslim brother.’
[Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 16357]
27ـ رسولُ اللهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ) ـ لَمّا سُئلَ عن أفضَلِ الصَّدَقةِ ـ: على ذِي الرَّحِمِ الكاشِحِ .
27– The Prophet (SAWA) when asked about the best act of charity, replied, ‘
[It is the act of charity] towards a kin against whom one harbours secret enmity.’
[Thawab al-A`amal, p. 171, no. 18]
28ـ رسولُ اللهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): أفضَلُ الصَّدَقةِ ظِلُّ فُسطاطٍ في سَبيلِ اللّهِ عَزَّوجلَّ .
28– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The best form of charity is to shade someone under one’s tent for the sake of Allah.’
[Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 16362]
29ـ رسولُ اللهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): أفضَلُ الصَّدَقةِ في رَمَضانَ .
29– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The best act of charity is carried out in the month of Ramazan.’
[Ibid. no. 16249]
30ـ الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): أفضَلُ الصَّدَقةِ إبرادُ الكَبِدِ الحَرّى .
30– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘The best form of charity is to cool down someone’s internal heat
[by quenching their thirst].’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 96, p. 172, no. 8]
31ـ الإمامُ الكاظمُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): عَونُكَ لِلضَّعيفِ مِن أفضَلِ الصَّدَقةِ .
31– Imam al-Kazim (AS) said, ‘Your assistance of the weak is one of the best forms of charity.’
[Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, p. 414]
فَضلُ صَدَقَةِ السِّرِّ وآثارُها / The Virtue of Giving Charity in Secret and Its Good Effects
32ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): إنَّ أفضَلَ ما تَوَسَّلَ بهِ المُتَوَسِّلُونَ إلى اللّهِ سبحانَهُ وتعالى، الإيمانُ بهِ وبرسولِهِ ... وصَدَقةُ السِّرِّ فإنّها تُكَفِّرُ الخَطيئةَ، وصَدَقةُ العَلانيَةِ فإنّها تَدفَعُ مِيتةَ السَّوءِ.
32– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Among the best means by which those who seek nearness to Allah may have recourse to His nearness, Blessed and most High, are: faith in Him and in His messenger …, giving charity secretly for verily it atones for one’s misdeeds, and giving charity openly for verily it protects against an undignified death.’
[Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 110]
33ـ الإمامُ الباقرُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) ـ في الإمامِ زينِ العابِدِينَ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) ـ: إنّهُ كانَ يَخرُجُ في اللَّيلةِ الظَّلماءِ، فَيَحمِلُ الجِرابَ على ظَهرِهِ حتّى يَأتِيَ باباً باباً، فَيَقرَعَهُ ثمّ يُناوِلَ مَن كانَ يَخرُجُ إلَيهِ، وكانَ يُغَطِّي وَجهَهُ إذا ناوَلَ فَقيراً لِئلاّ يَعرِفَهُ.
33– Imam al-Baqir (AS) said, describing his father Imam Zayn al-Abidin (AS), ‘He used to go out in the dark night carrying a sack on his back and going from door to door, knocking on each and giving to whoever came out to answer it. He used to cover his face when giving to the poor in order that they may not recognise him.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 46, p. 89, no. 77]
34ـ الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): لا تَتَصَدَّقْ على أعيُنِ الناسِ لِيُزَكُّوكَ؛ فإنّكَ إن فَعَلتَ ذلكَ فَقَدِ استَوفَيتَ أجرَكَ، ولكنْ إذا أعطَيتَ بِيَمِينِكَ فلا تُطلِعْ علَيها شِمالَكَ؛ فإنَّ الذي تَتَصَدَّقُ لَهُ سِرّاً يَجزِيكَ عَلانِيَةً.
34– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘Do not give charity openly for people to see and commend you for it, for verily when you do that, you have already received your reward for it
[in their commendation]. However, if you give with your right hand such that your left hand does not come to know it, then the One for whose sake you have secretly given charity will surely reward you for it openly.’
[Ibid. v. 78, p. 284, no. 1]
35ـ الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): الصَّدَقةُ واللّهِ في السِّرِّ أفضَلُ مِنَ الصَّدَقةِ في العَلانِيَةِ، وكذلكَ واللّهِ العِبادَةُ في السِّرِّ أفضَلُ مِنها في العَلانِيَةِ.
35– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘By Allah, charity given secretly is better than charity given openly, just as, by Allah, worship performed secretly is better than worship performed openly.’
[al-Kafi, v. 4, p. 8, no. 2]
36ـ الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): إنّ صَدَقَةَ الليلِ تُطفِئُ غَضَبَ الرَّبِّ، وتَمحُو الذَّنبَ العَظيمَ، وتُهَوِّنُ الحِسابَ، وصَدَقةَ النَّهارِ تُثمِرُ المالَ، وتَزِيدُ في العُمرِ .
36– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘Verily charity given at night
[i.e. secretly in the dark of the night] extinguishes the wrath of the Lord, wipes away grave sins and facilitates one’s account
[on the Day of Resurrection]. Charity given during the day
[in broad daylight] makes one’s wealth thrive and increases one’s lifespan.’
[Bihar al-Anwar, v. 96, p. 125, no. 39]
حَدُّ الصَّدَقَةِ / The Amount of Charity to be Given
37ـ رسولُ اللهِِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): المُعتَدي في الصَّدقةِ كَمانِعِها .
37– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The one who gives excessive charity is as the one who withholds it.’
[Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 16246]
38ـ الإمامُ الكاظمُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): لا تَبذُلْ لإِخوانِكَ مِن نفسِكَ ما ضَرُّهُ علَيكَ أكثَرُ مِن مَنفَعَتِهِ لَهُم.
38– Imam al-Kazim (AS) said, ‘Do not give away of yourself to your brothers so much that the loss incurred by you supercedes the benefit to them.’
[al-Kafi, v. 4, p. 33, no. 2]
مَواردُ الصَّدَقةِ / The Recipients of Charity
39ـ رسولُ اللهِِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): ليسَ المِسكينُ بالطَّوّافِ، ولا بِالذي تَرُدُّهُ التَّمرَةُ والتَّمرَتانِ، واللُّقمَةُ واللُّقمَتانِ، ولكنَّ المِسكينَ المُتَعَفِّفُ الذي لا يَسألُ الناسَ شيئاً ولا يُفطَنُ لَهُ فَيُتَصَدَّقُ علَيهِ.
39– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The one who is truly poor does not roam around the streets begging, nor can he be turned away with a date or two, or a bite or two. Rather the one who is truly poor is he who restrains himself from asking people and who does not draw attention to himself – that is the one that should be given charity.’
[Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 16552]
40ـ الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) ـ لمّا سُـئلَ عنِ الصَّدَقةِ على مَن يَسألُ على الأبوابِ، أو يُمسِكُ ذلكَ عَنهُم ويُعطِيهِ ذَوِي قَرابَتِهِ ؟ ـ: لا، بل يَبعَثُ بها إلى مَن بينَهُ وبينَهُ قَرابَةٌ، فهذا أعظَمُ لِلأجرِ.
40– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) was once asked whether one should give charity to those who beg at people’s doors, or whether to withhold it from them and give it to one’s poor relatives instead, to which he replied, ‘No, rather one should send it to a
[poor] relative, for that holds a greater reward.’
[Thawab al-A`amal, p. 171, no. 20]
41ـ الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) ـ أيضا ـ: المَحرومُ المُحارَفُ الذي قد حُرِمَ كَدَّ يَدِهِ في الشِّراءِ والبَيعِ .
41– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said with regards to Allah’s verse in the Qur’an: “…the beggar and the deprived”, ‘The deprived is the disabled one who is deprived of the use of his hands for working in trade.’
[al-Kafi, v. 3, p. 500, no. 12]
أدَبُ العَطاءِ /The Etiquette of Giving
42ـ رسولُ اللهِِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): تَصَدَّقُوا مِن غَيرِ مَخِيلَةٍ؛ فإنَّ المَخِيلَةَ تُبطِلُ الأجرَ.
42– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Give in charity without conceitedness, for verily conceitedness does away with your reward
[for it].’
[Tanbih al-Khawatir, v. 2, p. 120]
43ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): المَطلُ والمَنُّ مُنَكِّداً الإحسانِ.
43– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Delaying
[one’s promise of] giving and reproaching someone for a gift embitters the goodness of the favor.’
[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1595]